Smart Money Moves for the New Year We tend to think about health resolutions this time of year, but have you thought about financial resolutions? To be more financially fit in 2012, here are 7 strategies to complement your current efforts and keep you moving on a better financial path. Read more

Year-End Tax Tips for 2011 For all the talk of not raising anyone’s taxes, some tax breaks that were available in the past may have expired or been reduced for 2011. But there are still ways to keep more money in your pocket. Here are tips to get the best outcome from this year’s tax return. Read more

Pre-Retirement Checklist It’s never too early to start planning for retirement, but most people will feel other needs more pressing until 65 is looming on the horizon. Don’t wait. Here are some important items to consider as you plan for your retirement. Read more

Five Building Blocks to Financial Success Financial management is not rocket science. Instead, it’s a series of small, smart steps repeated over time. To find solid financial ground, begin by constructing your foundation with the five building blocks to financial success. Read more

Steps for Getting Your Finances Under Control Find out how you can put yourself in a better financial position with a few easy steps. Read more

Test Your Financial IQ: Get an A+ in Paying for College Whether pursuing higher education for yourself or your child, budgeting and borrowing wisely can help families save on the cost of college, says Sallie Mae, the nation’s No. 1 financial services company specializing in education. Read more

What the New Mortgage Guidelines Mean for You Home loans are now expected to take longer, require more paperwork and make the cheapest loans available only to the most highly qualified borrowers. Find out what you need to know now. Read more

Easy Ways to Make an Extra Summer Income For educators, summer months are a time to relax and enjoy. However, bringing home an extra income can always help. Here are some easy ways to do this, and still enjoy your much-needed time off. Read more

Are You Prepared for a Financial Emergency? A financial emergency can strike you at any time, and this emergency can quickly turn into a crisis if you are not fully prepared. There are many steps you can take now to be able to face the unexpected. Be ready for anything that may come your way with our tips and suggestions for financial preparedness. Read more

A Case for Having Multiple Credit Cards It’s nearly impossible to function in modern society without having at least one credit or debit card. Cards are useful for making large purchases without carrying a lot of cash, paying expenses over time, online shopping and for traveling—to name just a few reasons. But how many cards should you have? Read more

Educator Expense Deduction If you are an eligible educator, and paid for classroom supplies out-of-pocket, you can deduct those expenses. Read more

How to Invest in Mutual Funds: Part Three - Selecting Funds and Building a Portfolio In the final part of this three-part series on mutual funds, you will learn how to select a fund, how to put together a portfolio and how to do the research for all of it. Read more

How to Invest in Mutual Funds: Part Two - Types of Funds and Where to Buy Them In part two of this three-part series on mutual funds, learn about what kind of funds to buy and where and how to buy them. Read more

How to Invest in Mutual Funds: Part One - Advantages and Disadvantages Mutual funds continue to be a popular investment option. But how well do you really know them? In the first part of this series, learn the basics, pros and cons of this relatively safe and lucrative investment. Read more

Bonds: A Riskier Investment Than You Might Think Long considered safe and predictable, bonds can be tricky investments that can sometimes result in losses. Find out how to keep your money safe. Read more

Using a “Snowball” to Make Your Debt Melt Away Did you know that how you pay your debts can be as important as how much you pay toward your debts? Paying down multiple debts can feel like a Sisyphean task with few tangible results. But with some simple changes to how you make your payments, you can save money and start to see meaningful results a lot sooner. Read more

Debit Cards vs. Credit Cards Credit cards and debit cards look alike and are used the same way, but there are important differences that may surprise you. Learn about the risks and protections that come with each type of card and what kinds of purchases you should and shouldn’t pay for with each. Read more

An “Emerging” Lesson from the Lost Decade Find out what top investors are doing to emerge from the worst decade in stock market history. Read more

10 for ’10: Top Financial Resolutions for the New Year It’s that time of year when people talk about getting a fresh start and avoiding the mistakes and bad habits of the year gone by. Personal finance expert Mary Rowland offers 10 ideas to help you clean up your financial rough edges in 2010. Read more

What to Do With Your Money When There Are So Many Mixed Signals Financial expert Mary Rowland offers tips on how to manage your money depending on where you are in your career. Read more

Making Your Own "Credit Card Reform" Act The chaos in the card market today demands your attention. Manage your card wisely with our suggestions. Read more

The Best Deals in Online Shopping You don’t have to be a technophobe to be intimidated by the wild and woolly Web, with its robots, spiders and RSS feeds. But these advanced tools are the key to getting some of the best deals in online shopping, especially when you need it most—during the holidays. Score a great deal this holiday season with our list of the best money-saving online shopping sites. Read more

How to Avoid the Holiday Overspending Trap It's easy to go over budget during the holidays. Avoid the urge to splurge with our simple tips and suggestions to stay in control of your holiday spending this year. Read more

A Quiz to Grade Your Level of Financial Distress It’s time for a quiz. The results will help determine your level of financial and debt distress. Read more

Five Ways to Improve Your Credit Score We all know the importance of a credit score rating. It can make the big difference in securing a loan, being able to purchase goods and services or even getting a job. Here are five easy ways to improve your credit score. Read more

12 Tips for Surviving a Job Loss The National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a longtime NEA Member Benefits partner, offers 12 practical tips on how to keep your life on track after a job loss. Read more

Simple Ways to Start Investing How can you invest when you don't know where to start and funds are scarce? The first step is recognizing the importance of the process. Though the market is indeed volatile, investing savings for the long term is a sensible way to create wealth and secure your future. Read more

Turn Recession Into Recess In these difficult times, frugality is fashionable for shoppers, and businesses are eager to attract customers. This can mean bargains for you. Here are six ways to stretch your hard-earned paycheck. Read more

Investment Tips for a Turbulent Market It has been a difficult year for investors, but that doesn't mean you should abandon the market. These tips can help you make the most of a difficult economic situation and determine if you are pursuing the best investment strategy for you. Read more

Put Your Debt in Detention The beauty of student loans is that they help you achieve your goal of becoming a teacher by financing your own education. They can get pretty ugly, however, if you don't treat them right. Here's how you can borrow and repay at the lowest possible cost. Read more

Green Mutual Funds: Trend or Time-Tested? When gas prices rose, "green" mutual funds rose as well. But the economic downturn has taken a toll on "green" investments. Read about the background on "green" investing to determine if it is the right investment path for you. Read more

Retirement Checklist Are you ready for retirement? Use this checklist to make sure you're ready for the transition. Read more

Mary Rowland Personal Finance Column: Living Smart, Living on Less Financially stable despite the economy? Get the most out of your income with these tips. Read more

Debt Settlement May Be Too Good to Be True When you're deep in debt, it's tempting to look to a debt settlement company, but beware! Read more

Don’t Let the Grinch or Anyone Else Steal Your Identity Use these tips to protect yourself from identity theft. Read more

Investing in a Volatile Market Use this strategy and get the most out of your 403(b). Read more

The Rewards of Refinancing Thinking about refinancing? Here’s what you need to know. Read more

Fair Debt Collection: Protections for Consumers You do have rights when it comes to debt collection. Here’s what you need to know. Read more

How to Make a Budget and Stick to It Learn how to navigate these tough times from Nolo.com, and how to make a budget you can stick to. Read more

Things to Look Out for When Shopping for a Credit Card Interest rates offered by competing credit card companies are not the only things to consider when choosing a credit card. Read more

Recovering in a Financial Crisis Get useful tips on how best to recover from the economic crisis regardless of whether you just joined the workforce or are about to retire. Read more

Surviving Tough Economic Times Discover how best to navigate these tough economic times and keep control of your personal finances.   Read more

How to Avoid Foreclosure Follow these tips and know your options before you decide to foreclose on your home. Read more

Tips on How to Survive a Recession The National Foundation for Credit Counseling recommends taking these steps to guard against becoming a victim of the recession. Read more

Understanding Your Credit Score Here are some tips to help you understand your credit score, one of many factors lenders consider before making a loan offer. Read more

Deciding to Refinance Making the decision to refinance is never easy. Here are some tips to help you determine when to refinance and which plan is right for you. Read more

How to Select a Credit Counseling Agency Before you choose a credit counseling agency, make sure they’re reputable.  Follow these steps and get answers to these key questions before you decide. Read more

Consolidate Your Debt Consolidation is a popular choice for those burdened by high-interest debt. Learn more about your options and the potential benefits of debt consolidation. Read more

Getting Ready to Buy a Home Here are some tips to help you decide if now is the right time for you to buy a house. Read more

Seeking Preapproval for a Mortgage Mortgage preapproval can take some of the guess-work out of buying a home. These tips can help you determine whether a preapproval is right for you. Read more

Why Buy a Home Now? Many factors go into deciding when to buy a home. Here are four reasons why now may be a good time to buy. Read more

Mary Rowland Personal Finance Column Financial expert Mary Rowland discusses lessons for responsible spending and smart credit card use. Read more

Buying a Car Financial expert Mary Rowland provides advice on negotiating February’s popular purchase: buying a new car. Read more

Planning for Caring Caring for an elderly parent isn’t easy.  Financial expert Mary Rowland offers some helpful tips to navigate these potentially difficult times. Read more

Planning for College: Consider All Your Options Financing a college education can be difficult. Financial expert Mary Rowland helps you navigate your options. Read more

Your Best Investment Whether your are just starting out or ready to retire, financial expert Mary Rowland walks through what it takes to make your best investment. Read more

Deduct Your Student Loan Interest Many college graduates’ first financial obligation is to pay back student loans.  Read tips on how to deduct student loan interest from your taxes. Read more

It's Never Too Late to Start Saving Financial expert Mary Rowland discusses the benefits of saving for retirement, whether you start saving early or later in your career. Read more

Certificates of Deposit: Tips for Investors Learn more about Certificates of Deposit, or CDs, and the benefits and drawbacks of this investment option. Read more

The Roth IRA: Advantages for Your Children Discover the advantages of taking out a Roth IRA for your children. Read more

Choosing the Right IRA Choosing how to save can be complicated.  Read about the different types of IRA savings plans available and find the IRA that’s right for you. Read more

Understanding Retirement Plans: 403(b), 457, 401(k) Most people are familiar with the 401(k) retirement savings plan. Read about four others, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Read more

Women and Retirement Savings Read more about the specific questions women should be asking as they prepare and save for retirement. Read more

Student Loan Repayment Options There’s more than one way to pay down your student loans.  Read about the variety of available options and decide which one is right for you. Read more

Financial Planning Checklist Whether you’re in your early twenties or you just turned sixty, here are some important points to consider at the different stages of your financial life. Read more

Keys to Vehicle Leasing Leasing has become a popular alternative to buying a car. Here are some key points to consider before deciding to lease. Read more

Income Protection Insurance Individuals have a one-in-five chance of being disabled. Learn more about ways in which you can insure your income. Read more

Long-Term Care vs. Long-Term Disability vs. Critical Illness Insurance Confused about insurance? Learn the basics of long-term care, long-term disability and critical illness insurance programs and how they differ. Read more

Know What to Expect When Closing on a New Home Don’t let closing costs catch you off guard. Here’s what you need to know about closing on your home. Read more

Make the Most of Your Retirement With a Reverse Mortgage Are you at least 62 years old with little mortgage debt? If so, you can tap the equity in your home with this flexible mortgage program. Read more

Paying for Home Improvement Projects Learn to leverage the equity in your home to help pay for home improvement projects. Read more

Refinancing Checklist Use this checklist to help you decide if refinancing is right for you. Read more

New vs. Resale Homes Make an informed decision on your home purchase by learning about the very different advantages to buying either a new or resale home. Read more

Save Money by Understanding “Rates” and “Points” Learn what the terms “rates” and “points” mean and how you can use them to your advantage during the homebuying process. Read more

When to Lock Your Mortgage Rate Should you lock in your rate now? Use these guidelines to help you decide. Read more

The Right Mortgage for You Buying a home? You have a wide range of loan options to choose from. Learn about the key features and benefits of each to help you decide what’s right for you. Read more

Mortgage Financing Strategies Learn about the different types of home mortgages and the conditions for qualifying. Read more

Home Renovation Costs Can Be Rolled Into a Mortgage Learn about mortgage programs that help you purchase and renovate your home at the same time. Read more

Contingencies to Include in Your House Purchase Offer “Contingencies” are conditions in a contract that must be met. Learn about common contingencies and how they can affect your home purchase contract. Read more

Tax Issues When Selling Your Home Are you exempt from capital gains taxes on the sale of your home? Read more

Tips for Buying an Affordable House Use these proven strategies to find the right house at the right price. Read more

Your Credit Report Needs a Careful Eye Your credit report needs careful attention.  Here’s how to make sure your credit report is accurate and up-to-date. Read more

Paying for College the Smart Way There are many ways to pay for college, but some may be better for you than others. Here are some tips to help you pay for college the smart way. Read more

Take Control of Your Auto Financing There’s more to financing than figuring out the monthly payment. Read these tips to help you get the best loan for your situation. Read more

Liability Insurance for Educators Learn how you can protect yourself with different types of personal, professional and commercial liability insurance. Read more

Are You Covered? Ask these important questions to make sure you have the homeowner’s insurance coverage you need. Read more

Kids in College? Make Sure They Have Enough Insurance Your college student’s possessions may or may not be covered while they’re away at school. Here’s what you can do to help protect their property. Read more

The Goldilocks Theory of Insurance Do you have too much or too little insurance coverage? Learn how to get the coverage that’s just right. Read more

Protecting Your Home From Flood Most homeowner’s policies do not cover flood damage. Get the facts to make sure you have the coverage you need. Read more

Do You Have Enough Liability Coverage? Do you know how much auto insurance coverage you need? These guidelines can help you determine the right amount of protection. Read more

How to Cut Costs of Homeowner's Insurance Learn how you can reduce the cost of your homeowner’s insurance without significantly changing your coverage. Read more

Vacation Home Insurance Vacation homes require special insurance protection. Here’s what to consider when evaluating your policy. Read more

Should You Insure Those Special Holiday Gifts? Certain holiday gifts may not be covered under your homeowner’s insurance. Here’s how to make sure you’re covered. Read more

College-Bound Should Hit the Books on Insurance College students may not always be covered by their parents’ property, auto or health insurance. Find out how to make sure they have the coverage they need. Read more

Checking Your Social Security Earnings The Social Security Administration keeps a running computer account of your earnings record and work credits, tracking both through your Social Security number. Find out how to request a copy and report and correct errors.  Read more

Life Insurance Basics The right life insurance policy can help ensure peace of mind for you and your loved ones. Read more

Choosing the Right Mortgage Before choosing a mortgage, you need to understand the differences between mortgage types: fixed-rate mortgages, adjustable-rate mortgages and interest-only mortgages, to name a few. Read more

How to Clean Up Your Credit Report To clean up your credit report, you’ll need to order a copy of your credit report, determine what’s inaccurate or out of date, and then request that the credit bureaus fix the information. Read more

12 Ways to Save on Your Homeowner's Insurance Here are 12 steps you can take to help save money on your homeowner’s insurance. Shop around: It'll take some time, but could save you a good sum of money. Read more

Understanding Auto Insurance Become a savvy consumer and learn how you can save on premiums through the use of deductibles, safety/theft devices, and coordination of homeowner’s and auto policies. Read more

Section 529 College Savings Plans The state-run Section 529 college savings plan is a new way to save for education expenses. Read more

Renter’s Insurance: Protection for Your Belongings If you rent a home, apartment, townhome or condominium, and you experience a fire or theft, your personal belongings are not covered by your landlord’s insurance. Learn about the value of taking out your own renter’s insurance policy.

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